Slideshow: Create a dual-boot machine for Windows 8

On my test system, I'll use DVDs to create my system image

In this edition of the Windows Desktop Report, I'll use my new system to show you how to prepare and configure your Windows 7 system to dual-boot Windows 8. While I'll be using the Windows 8 Release Preview for this article, I've heard that the procedure should be very similar with the actual release version. Even so, I'll revisit this topic in the near future once Windows 8 is available to the general public.

Prerequisite

For this article, I'm going to assume that you have already visited the Windows 8 Release Preview site and followed Microsoft's instructions for downloading and converting the ISO file to a DVD in Windows 7. If you haven't, you should do so before you get started with this article. The process is pretty straightforward and Microsoft has documented the steps you need to follow.

Creating a System Image

The first thing that you'll want to do is create a System Image from within Windows 7's Backup and Restore. When you do, you'll end up with a complete image of your hard disk. That way, if anything out of the ordinary were to occur as you follow the steps for creating a dual-boot system, you will be able to return to your current configuration. Furthermore, I recommend that you also create a separate backup of your data. Maybe just make copies of all your data files on CD/DVD or on an external hard disk. While it may sound like overkill, having an extra backup will give you peace of mind.

To create a system image, you'll need to have a CD-RW/DVD-RW drive, an external hard disk, or access to a network drive. To access Backup and Restore, click the Start button, type Backup in the Search box, and press [Enter] when Backup and Restore appears in the result pane.

Once you have Backup and Restore up, select the Create a System Image option and choose your backup location. As you can see, I used a DVD-RW drive on my system.

Creating a System Image on DVDs takes a little while

On my test system all the partitions on the drive are selected by default. To initiate the operation, just click Start backup. On my test system with a 500GB hard disk, it took over an hour and required eight DVDs.

When the System Image is complete, you'll be prompted to create a System Repair disc

When the System Image is complete, you'll be prompted to create a System Repair disc. This is the disc that you will use to boot your system and restore your system image in the event that you need it.

The Shrink Volume command

Setting up a partition

With your System Image discs safely tucked away, you'll use the Disk Management tool to make room on your hard disk for Windows 8. To launch Disk Management, click the Start button, type Disk Management in the Search box, and press [Enter] when Create and format hard disk partitions appears in the result pane. When Disk Management launches, locate the operating system partition of the drive, right click, and select the Shrink Volume command. As you can see, on my example system, there is a 100MB system partition and a 17GB HP Recovery partition in addition to the 450GB OS, or operating system, partition.

Set up a 50GB partition

For my Windows 8 partition, I set aside 50GB by entering 51200 as the amount of space to shrink the existing volume. Once you've specified the size, click the Shrink button. It will take a several minutes to shrink the partition. When the operation is complete, you'll see the new space at the end of the partition and notice that it is marked as Unallocated. In order to install Windows 8 without any problems, you should covert this unallocated space into a volume with a drive letter. To do so you'll launch the New Simple Volume Wizard.

Select the New Simple Volume command

To continue, right click the new partition and select the New Simple Volume command. When you do, the New Simple Volume Wizard will launch.

The New Simple Volume Wizard consists of five screens

The New Simple Volume Wizard consists of five screens - the first and the fifth are shown. As you progress through the wizard, you'll be prompted to specify the size, assign a drive letter, choose a file system, enter a name for the volume, and choose how to format the drive. For everything but the volume name, you should just go with the defaults. As you can see, I specifically named the volume Windows 8 to prevent any ambiguity in later steps. Since the partition was created from your existing partition, you can just go with the Quick format option.

The 50 GB partition is now ready for the Windows 8 installation

When you're finished, you'll see the new partition in Disk Manager. The screenshot shows the new 50GB partition with the volume name, assigned to drive F, and marked as a Logical Drive.

The first step in the installation is to specify your language settings

Installing Windows 8

Now that you have your partition established and assigned a drive letter, installing Windows 8 in a dual-boot configuration should be a pretty straightforward operation. Let's take a closer look.

To begin, insert the Windows 8 Release Preview DVD and reboot your system. After a few minutes, you'll see the Windows Setup screen and you will specify your language settings before clicking Next.

To get started, just click the Install Now button

Once the initial steps are taken care of, you'll see the Windows Setup screen and will click the Install Now button.

Make sure that you select the Custom Install Windows only option

You'll then see a Windows Setup screen and will need to make sure that you select the Custom option.

I selected the new volume labeled Windows 8 and assigned drive letter F

At this point, Windows Setup will prompt you to choose the location to which you want to install Windows 8. As you can see, on my test system it is showing all available partitions and I have selected the new volume labeled Windows 8 and assigned drive letter F.

As soon as you click Next, Windows Setup will begin copying files to the new partition

After selecting the new partition on which to install Windows 8 and clicking Next, the installation will begin. This part of the operation will take a while so go get yourself a cup of coffee.

When the installation is complete, Windows Setup will reboot your system one final time and you will then see the new Windows 8 style dual boot screen. As you can see, Windows 8 will automatically launch in 30 seconds if you don't choose Windows 7.

If you want to alter the amount of time before Windows 8 will run, you can click the Change defaults or choose other options at the bottom of the screen. There are actually a multitude of options that you can change and I'll cover all of them in a future article.

Creating a System Image on DVDs takes a little while

On my test system all the partitions on the drive are selected by default. To initiate the operation, just click Start backup. On my test system with a 500GB hard disk, it took over an hour and required eight DVDs.

About Greg Shultz

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.

Full Bio

Greg Shultz is a freelance Technical Writer. Previously, he has worked as Documentation Specialist in the software industry, a Technical Support Specialist in educational industry, and a Technical Journalist in the computer publishing industry.

Hi,
I followed all this procedure, and have installed Windows 8 and so I have a dual boot capability. I can use Wireless in Windows 7 but find I cannot activate my Windows 8 OS, neither can I set up a wireless connection in Windows 8. If I plug in the Ethernet cable I can get on the web withe the windows 8 setup. Any ideas?
John

I just got my son a pretty fast desktop for gaming and Windows 8. Now it seems Windows 8 won't run some of this games properly. The desktop comes with a SSD with the OS and a separate Data disk. Can I use the process above to install Windows 7 as the Secondary boot option? Does it matter that we are going backwards on the version? Your help is highly appreciated!

I had only Windows 8 Release Preview on my laptop and decided to create a double boot.
I restored my Windows 7 backup, reduced the space on the C; Partition and reinstalled Windows 8.
Worked like a charm and now I can demonstrated the Windows 8 dual boot screen and the additional boot options.

And a safe way to introduce yourself to Win8.
From this point, what would you do if you eventually wanted to get rid of the dual boot setup and go w/ Win8 exclusively?
Would you migrate everything (i.e. install all your apps and copy all your files/settings) from the Win7 partition and get rid of it altogether? Or, would you end up installing Win8 as an upgrade to the Win7 partition and then remove the Win8 volume? In either scenario, how would the dual boot option be removed from the boot screen?

Displeased w/ Slideshows as a waste of my and your time, I goggled the topic and found more readable links to the same subject.
Iâll continue to receive TechRepublic email and if the topic Iâm interested in is not in the Blog format there is always a search engine available.
Someone is not listening to the many complaints about the format. This is my 2nd and giving up on the issue.

The memo is loud and clear. 'No Slide Shows' without a clear, easy-to-find link to a 'view-as-one-page' option. What part of the do you not understand?
And no more of this 'My Editor made me do it.' excuse.

...slideshow or blog, it's a very informative article explaing a process that many will want to do. As we know, every installation always has its own challenges.so an overview of a process is a great help.
Thanks.

My sincere apologies to Greg Shultz. If I had bothered to read more carefully I would have noticed that it is very plainly offered as a blog right at the beginning. Nothing like making myself look foolish in a public forum. Maybe I should run for Congress?

...a logical next step that I will cover in more detail once Windows 8 is actually released.
I wrote a similar article for Windows XP/Windows 7 and plan on revising the technique for Windows 7 Windows 8.

...Windows 8 used 15.3 GB and left 34.6 GB of available space. But, it is importatnt to keep in mind that I choose 50GB purely for illustrative purposes.
Also keep in mind that in Windows 7's Disk Manager you can also extend a partition.
So If you needed more space for installing other apps in Windows 8, you can always shrink the Windows 7 partition again and then extend the Windows 8 partition into the newly created free space.